Q. Are Seaweeds really fit to eat? |  |
Q. Are Seaweeds really fit to eat?A. Sea Vegetables do unfortunately suffer from an image problem.
This maybe because we associate them with the washed-up debris we find on our holiday beach rather than with freshly harvested wild plants growing in luxuriant forests in clean ocean waters. This tainted image is as far from reality as a compost bin is from a field of ripening corn!
Sea Vegetables have been enjoyed since ancient times and are renowned for their abundance of minerals as well as for a variety of health-giving properties. Whilst their use has declined in the West, Sea Vegetables have remained popular in Japan. The Japanese still harvest record amounts from around their lengthy coastline and regularly include them in their everyday meals. Q. A. Sanchi Sea Vegetables come from carefully selected sites around the coastline of Japan, well away from any centres of industry and population. Kombu comes from the north eastern extremity of Hokkaido facing directly into the wild Pacific Ocean.
Other Sea Vegetables come from the Ise National Park, a wild area of outstanding natural beauty.
Q. A. Sanchi Kombu, Hijiki and Arame are harvested from wild plants, whilst Nori and Wakame are cultivated. Wild plants grow in thick luxuriant underwater forests and the annual harvest actually thickens up the growth of the plants (much like mowing a lawn). Harvesters are local people whose lives depend on establishing a sustainable relationship with their natural environment. The cultivation of Nori and Wakame simply consists of seeding spores in a controlled environment, after which the plants grow free from human intervention just as wild plants.
Sanchi's Sea Vegetable grower uses no chemicals or added nutrients. Q. A. Most savoury foods including grains, pasta, vegetables, salads, fish, cottage cheese (especially crumbled toasted Nori) and vegetable proteins. Q. A. Usually Nori, Arame and Wakame because of their mild flavours, ease of preparation, and versatility of use. Nori is the most popular of all (the Japanese consume a staggering 10 billion sheets a year), and is especially loved by children who often enjoy simply munching on lightly toasted sheets. Q. A. Sea Vegetables provide concentrated nutrition (in dried form they contain 10-30% minerals) and need only be used in small servings. Ideally they should be incorporated regularly into daily meals.
Q. A. Sanchi Sea Vegetables have been carefully dried (to 10-13% moisture) and should retain their nutrition and flavour for a long time when correctly stored. Because you only need to cook a small amount at a time, it is important to keep the pack sealed (especially Nori), and store in a cool dry place. Occasional surface sweating of white mineral salts and natural sugars may occur with some varieties if they are kept too warm or moist. Q. A. This is only advisable if you live on the wild Celtic coastline of the western British Isles, remote from centres of habitation and industry. You will need to study species, harvest at the right time of year (more tender growth is usually found in early summer), and at the right time of the month (access is usually easier during low spring tides). The work can be dangerous, so proceed with caution. If in doubt leave it to the professionals. | |
